Pandaw · All Pandaw ships · Pandaw K class Upper Mekong expedition ship, 28 guests

Champa Pandaw: ship guide

A 28-guest Upper Mekong ship built for the river between Vientiane and Chiang Khong.

Best for: Adventurous travelers who want to see Laos from the river, with Luang Prabang at the heart of the trip, on a 28-guest ship built for the Upper Mekong’s rapids and shallows. Sails from Vientiane (Pak Lay), Chiang Khong in 2026 and 2027.

See every Champa Pandaw sailing Deck plans Pandaw policies

28guests at double occupancy

2016entered service

179 ftlong

14staterooms

About Champa Pandaw

Champa Pandaw was built in Thailand in 2016 as the sister of Laos Pandaw and began cruising the Upper Mekong that September. She is a K class ship adapted for the fast, rocky river above Vientiane: 54.6 meters long, 9.55 meters wide and drawing 1.8 meters, with 14 teak-and-brass staterooms for 28 guests, twelve on the main deck and two on the upper deck. Bistro-style al fresco dining and an open-air lounge bar keep the ship light and the river close.

Meals are semi-buffet at breakfast and lunch with seated theme dinners from a local master chef, taken in the open air, and there is a 24-hour hospitality bar and an onboard bakery. Mountain bikes are carried for exploring villages on your own, and excursions by long-tail boat, coach and on foot are included with local English-speaking guides. Cabins are 150 square feet with French windows, Nespresso machines, stocked minibars and yoga mats.

In 2026 and 2027 Champa Pandaw shares Pandaw’s eight- and ten-night Laos Mekong expedition between Vientiane and Chiang Khong with Laos Pandaw and Sabaidee Pandaw, boarding at Pak Lay after a long-tail boat transfer and passing the Xayaburi Dam locks, Hmong villages, Kuang Si Waterfalls, three nights at Luang Prabang, the Pak Ou Caves and the Pak Beng elephant sanctuary. She suits adventurous travelers who want Laos by river rather than road.

Built in Thailand in 2016 specifically for the Upper Mekong in Laos, sister to Laos Pandaw
Only 28 guests in 14 teak-and-brass staterooms of 150 square feet with French windows
Bistro-style al fresco dining and an open-air lounge bar
Quality mountain bikes on board for independent village exploration
Included excursions by long-tail boat, coach and on foot with local English-speaking guides
Three nights at Luang Prabang on the ten-night Laos Mekong itinerary
Transits the Xayaburi Dam locks and the Mekong rapids above Pak Lay
Transfers from Chiang Rai or Chiang Mai and Vientiane included

Staterooms and suites

Main Deck Stateroom

Twelve cabins of 150 square feet (14 square meters) finished in teak and brass with a French window to the main deck promenade; twin or double beds, individually controlled air conditioning, Nespresso machine, stocked minibar, glass bottled water, mini safe and yoga mat.

Upper Deck Stateroom

Two cabins of the same 150 square foot design on the upper deck beside the open-air lounge bar; the first to go on this small ship.

Champa Pandaw deck plans

Deck by deck, straight from our booking engine: the plan, the stateroom categories on that deck and the public rooms. Pick a deck.

Upper Deck

Saloon, Dining, Staterooms.

DiningLocal master chef heading an experienced international culinary team.

Plans are the cruise line’s current drawings as supplied to our booking engine. Layouts change with refurbishments; your SmartCruiser advisor confirms the exact stateroom when you book.

On board Champa Pandaw

Dining on Champa Pandaw

Al Fresco Bistro DiningIncluded

Bistro-style open-air dining with semi-buffet breakfast and lunch and seated theme dinners from a local master chef, with daily lean and light options and personalized meal service.

Open-air Lounge BarIncluded

Upper deck lounge bar with a daily happy hour and an extensive premium wine list.

24-hour Hospitality BarIncluded

Self-service coffee, tea and water at any hour.

Onboard BakeryIncluded

Fresh breads and rolls baked daily.

Drinks PolicyIncluded

Local mineral water, jugged coffee, teas and tisanes, a welcome cocktail and the stocked cabin minibar are included; other bar drinks, beer, spirits and wine are charged to your account.

Entertainment and activities

Open-air lounge and promenade decks for the gorges and rapids of the Upper Mekong
Mountain bikes for independent rides through riverside villages
Daily briefings and history talks by the purser and local expert guides
Cultural performances and the alms-giving ceremony at Luang Prabang
Included excursions by long-tail boat, coach and on foot to Hmong villages, Kuang Si Waterfalls, Pak Ou Caves and the Pak Beng elephant sanctuary
Head chef food presentations, themed movie nights and behind-the-scenes ship tours
Yoga mats in every cabin for deck sessions

Families and who it suits

Pandaw says its ships are not suitable for children under 8 because the open rails have no safety netting; older children share a cabin with an adult, and Pandaw designates certain school-holiday departures as family friendly with child offers.

Best for: Adventurous travelers who want to see Laos from the river, with Luang Prabang at the heart of the trip, on a 28-guest ship built for the Upper Mekong’s rapids and shallows.

Sails from: Vientiane (Pak Lay), Chiang Khong · Regions: Upper Mekong (Laos)

Champa Pandaw questions we answer every day

How big is Champa Pandaw?

Champa Pandaw is 54.6 meters (about 179 feet) long with a 9.55 meter beam and a draft of 1.8 meters, built in Thailand in 2016 as a sister to Laos Pandaw. She carries 28 guests in 14 staterooms of 150 square feet, twelve on the main deck and two on the upper deck. Pandaw does not publish a gross tonnage for her.

Where does Champa Pandaw sail in 2026 and 2027?

She is one of three ships on Pandaw’s Laos Mekong expedition, eight or ten nights between Vientiane and Chiang Khong in either direction. Guests are collected in Vientiane and join the ship at Pak Lay, then sail past the Xayaburi Dam, Ban Na San, Kuang Si Waterfalls, Luang Prabang for three nights, the Pak Ou Caves and Pak Beng before the Thai border at Chiang Khong. Departures are allocated between Champa, Laos and Sabaidee Pandaw on Pandaw’s dates page.

What are the cabins like on Champa Pandaw?

All 14 staterooms are 150 square feet (14 square meters), a little smaller than the 170 square foot cabins on Pandaw’s Lower Mekong ships, finished in teak and brass with a French window onto the promenade. Each has twin or double beds, individually controlled air conditioning, a Nespresso machine, a stocked minibar, glass bottled water, expedition flasks, a mini safe and a yoga mat. There are no suites.

What is included in the fare on Champa Pandaw?

Main meals, all guided excursions and entrance fees, English-speaking guides, crew gratuities, transfers between Chiang Rai or Chiang Mai and the ship and between the ship and Vientiane, local mineral water, jugged coffee, teas and tisanes, a welcome cocktail and the cabin minibar. Bar drinks, wine, laundry, visas, port dues and tips to local guides and drivers are extra. SmartCruiser adds bonus onboard credit on sailings where Pandaw allows it, not available when you book direct.

When is the best time to sail the Laos Mekong?

Pandaw runs the Laos Mekong in the dry season and warns that crop burning can bring smog to Laos and northern Thailand from February to April, so October to January gives the clearest skies and the fullest river after the monsoon. Pandaw also notes the itinerary can change at any time with river conditions, since the Upper Mekong has rapids, shifting sandbanks and the Xayaburi Dam locks to negotiate.

Is there a spa or gym on Champa Pandaw?

No. Like the other K class ships, Champa Pandaw is built light for the Upper Mekong and has no spa, gym or enclosed lounge; Pandaw lists spa-branded amenities in the cabins only. What she offers instead is open-air living, mountain bikes and a crew of local guides. Guests who want a spa should look at the P class ships on the Classic Mekong in Vietnam and Cambodia.

Facts checked against Pandaw: RV Champa Pandaw, Pandaw: The Laos Mekong expedition, Pandaw: Laos river cruises, Pandaw: Frequently asked questions on October 14, 2026. Ship details change with refurbishments; your SmartCruiser advisor confirms the current layout when you book.

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Prices are per person, double occupancy, in US dollars, and include cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses as published by the cruise line at the moment you load this page. Fares are capacity controlled and change daily; the fare is confirmed when you book. Flights, hotels and transfers are extra unless the line’s offer says otherwise. Onboard credit shown on a sailing is per stateroom and applies to the lowest category offered unless stated otherwise.